Bulletin

10 Principles for Effective

Prevention Messaging

We are working to strengthen our messaging in the sexual violence prevention movement. It
can be a struggle to combat the misconceptions the public has about sexual violence. In our
roles, we can help the public see that sexual violence is a social problem. Below are tips to
think about when creating a message. Remember, it is not necessary to use all of these tips in
every message or campaign.

Over time, the messaging strategy may need

to be changed to reflect the changes in the
audience (for example: from raising awareness
to bystander intervention). Based on research
and experience, here are 10 tips for advocates
on effective sexual violence prevention
messaging:

1. Reflect the language

of the target audience
Identify and understand who your target
audience is in terms of diversity, education,
culture, knowledge, and experiences. The
audience needs to be able to identify with the
message (Potter, Moynihan, & Stapleton, 2010).
Be clear, concise, and use plain language that
resonates with your audience
Example: Framing a bystander campaign for a
college-aged audience may include information
on how to be an engaged bystander at a party,
while a campaign focused on the workplace
may include how to intervene when you witness
sexual harassment.
2. Speak to the audience’s core values
Determine the message for the target audience
that speaks to their core values. By connecting
issues to a person’s values, they are more likely
to support the issue (Gay & Lesbian Alliance
Against Defamation & Movement Advancement
Project, 2008). In addition, a FrameWorks
Institute study found that “the public is moved
by appeals to compassion and basic human
rights” (FrameWorks Institute, 2013, p. 5).
Example: Preventing sexual violence creates
healthy families and healthy communities.

National Sexual Violence Resource Center l resources@nsvrc.org l www.nsvrc.org

People are emotionally and morally invested
in keeping families healthy. Talking about
prevention in terms of building and sustaining
healthy communities can tap into the value that
many people share.
3. State facts and statistics
State facts and statistics and stay away from
restating myths (Cook & Lewandowsky, 2012).
Research has shown that when an audience
is presented with evidence to debunk a myth,
they will remember the myth, not the fact
(O’Neil & Morgan, 2010). In your messaging,
present factual information to help reinforce
the knowledge, skills, and action you are
working to mobilize among audience members.
2  Principles for Effective Prevention Messaging
Example: One in five women have been raped
in their lifetime, and more than 50% of those
women were raped by a current or former
intimate partner (Black et al., 2011).
4. Use a positive message
Messages should be positive, nonbiased, and
emotionally compelling. People want to hold
onto something hopeful and be part of a
solution. Use images that are in line with the
message, and portray positive trauma-informed
images.
Example: Sexual violence is preventable. Let’s
talk about it.
5. Be action oriented and offer solutions
Provide options of things for people to do.
This helps them feel involved and like they are
a part of the solution. Offer a menu of options
for the audience so they feel empowered to
pick the action that reflects their knowledge
and comfort level.
Example: Learn more about sexual violence,
attend an event during Sexual Assault
Awareness Month, or volunteer at your local
rape crisis center.
6. Tell a story
Recent research has found that telling the
whole story in a short concise way is the most
effective way to get your message across to
audiences (O’Neil, Simon, & Haydon, 2014).
Include the problem, underlying issues or
contributing factors, and offer solutions.
Example: I began working in sexual violence
because I believed I could make a difference.
I still believe this, but change is only possible
when everyone plays a part. This is why it’s
important for our community to take a stand.
7. Promote positive social norms
Sexual violence happens, in part, because
of a culture and social norms that support
and encourage such behavior. By promoting
positive social norms, such as safety, equality,
respect, and an intolerance of violence, we
can prevent sexual violence (Davis, Parks, &
Cohen, 2010). Media campaigns can be used
to convey messages about healthy behaviors
Five damaging
social norms
1. Objectifying and oppressing people
2. Promoting violence
and blaming of victims
3. Promoting power over another
4. Promoting damaging views
of gender roles
5. Supporting and promoting
secrecy and silence of violence
(Davis, Parks, & Cohen, 2010)
and challenge unhealthy and damaging social
norms (World Health Organization, 2009).
Example: Be an engaged bystander. When
you see a person making another person
uncomfortable, step up and say something.
8. Link sexual violence to oppression
Sexual violence is related to oppression such as
sexism, racism, classism, ageism, heterosexism
and ableism. These oppressions are linked to
the social norms that make up rape culture
(Guy, 2008).
Example: Many people do not only experience
sexual violence, they also experience layers of
oppression. This can make it harder for victims
of sexual violence to come forward and find
the help and support that is responsive to their
individual needs.
www.nsvrc.org 3
9. Present sexual violence as a community
problem, not an individual problem
As advocates, we know sexual violence is a
community problem, not a problem of individual
survivors. There is a disconnect between what
advocates know and what the public knows in
terms of who is impacted by sexual violence.
Generally, the public believes that sexual
violence is an individual problem that impacts
individual people, and occurs because of the
actions of individual people (O’Neil & Morgan,
2010). In reality, sexual violence is a community
problem that impacts everyone and, through
societal norms change, can be prevented.
10. Don’t underestimate
the power of social media
The use of social media networks, such as
Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.,
can reach a wide audience. Studies show that
73% of adults online use social networking
sites, with Facebook the most commonly used.
Among young people, Twitter and Instagram
are most commonly used (Duggan, 2013).
Example: Help get the word out about Sexual
Assault Awareness Month. Write a Letter to the
Editor for #SAAM. Sample at www.nsvrc.org/
saam.

Example: Sexual violence impacts everyone.

We all have an active role in preventing sexual
violence.

4  Principles for Effective Prevention Messaging

Key resources about social media
Social media advocacy: Five influential steps
http://eadvocate.wordpress.com/social-media-
advocacy-six-influential-steps/
National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s
Social media toolkit
http://nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/saam_2014_
social-medial-toolkit.pdf
Key resources about messaging
Key Best Practices for Effective Sexual
Violence Public Education Campaigns:
A Summary
http://www.learningtoendabuse.ca/sites/
default/files/Best%20Practices.pdf
Checklist for Effective Sexual Violence
Public Education Campaigns
http://www.learningtoendabuse.ca/sites/
default/files/Checklist.pdf
Preventing Sexual Violence: A
Communications Approach, Part 1
http://www.preventconnect.org/2014/04/
sv-communications/
Working Upstream: Skills for Social Change
http://bmsg.org/sites/default/files/bmsg_
handbook_working_upstream.pdf
Baran, S. (2013). Introduction to mass
communication: Media literacy and culture.
McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.
The Art and Science of Framing an Issue
http://www.lgbtmap.org/file/art-and-science-of-
framing-an-issue.pdf
Framing public issues
http://www.frameworksinstitute.org/assets/
files/PDF/FramingPublicIssuesfinal.pdf
Key resources for journalists
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
Media Packet: Info & Stats for Journalists
www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/Publications_
NSVRC_Media-Packet.pdf
Reporting on Sexual Violence
http://www.nsvrc.org/elearning/reporting-on-
sexual-violence
Reporting on Rape and Sexual Violence:
A Media Toolkit for Local and National
Journalists to Better Media Coverage
http://www.chitaskforce.org/wp/wp-content/
uploads/2012/10/Chicago-Taskforce-Media-
Toolkit.pdf
Analysis of Child Sexual Abuse
in News Coverage
http://www.bmsg.org/about/projects/analysis-
of-child-sexual-abuse%20in-news-coverage
Writing about Gender-Based Violence
& Title IX: A Guide for Journalists & Editors
http://knowyourix.org/writing-about-gender-
based-violence-and-title-ix-a-guide-for-
journalists-and-editors/
www.nsvrc.org 5
References
Baran, S. (2013). Introduction to mass communication: Media literacy and
culture. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.

Black, M. C., Basile, K. C., Breiding, M. J., Smith, S. G., Walters, M. L.,
Merrick, M. T., … Stevens, M. R. (2011). National Intimate Partner and
Sexual Violence survey: 2010 summary report. Retrieved from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/
nisvs_report2010-a.pdf

Cook, J., & Lewandowsky, S. (2012). The debunking handbook. Retrieved

from http://www.skepticalscience.com/docs/Debunking_Handbook.
pdf

Davis, R., Parks, L. F., & Cohen, L. (2010). Sexual violence and the
spectrum of prevention: Towards a community solution. Retrieved
from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center: http://www.
nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/Publications_NSVRC_Booklets_Sexual-
Violence-and-the-Spectrum-of-Prevention_Towards-a-Community-
Solution_0.pdf

Dorfman, L., Sorenson, S., & Wallack, L. (2009). Working upstream:

Skills for social change: A resource guide for developing a course on
advocacy for public health. Retrieved from Berkeley Media Studies
National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2014). Social media toolkit.
Group: http://bmsg.org/sites/default/files/bmsg_handbook_working_
Retrieved from http://nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/saam_2014_social-
upstream.pdf
medial-toolkit.pdf
Duggan, M. (2013). Social media update 2013. Retrieved from the Pew
O’Neil, M., & Morgan, P. (2010). American perceptions of sexual violence:
Research Center: http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/12/30/social-
A FrameWorks research report. Retrieved from FrameWorks Institute:
media-update-2013/
http://www.frameworksinstitute.org/assets/files/PDF_sexualviolence/
AmericanPerceptionsofSexualViolence.pdf
FrameWorks Institute. (2013). Don’t stay on message: Using strategic
framing to move the public discourse on immigration. Retrieved from
O’Neil, M., Simon, A., & Haydon, A. (2014). Stories matter: Field frame
http://frameworksinstitute.org/assets/files/Immigration/Don%27t_
analysis on immigration reform: A FrameWorks research report.
Stay_On_Message.pdf
Retrieved from FrameWorks Institute: http://frameworksinstitute.org/
assets/files/immigration_ffa.pdf?utm_source=Immigration+03%2F
Guy, L. (2008). Re-visioning the sexual violence continuum. In American
11%2F14+Email&utm_campaign=Framing+Immigration+03%2F11&u
College Health Association, Shifting the paradigm: Primary prevention
tm_medium=email
of sexual violence (pp. 10-11). Retrieved from : http://www.acha.org/
sexualviolence/docs/acha_psv_toolkit.pdf
Potter, S. J., Moynihan, M. M., & Stapleton, J. G. (2010). Using social self-
identification in social marketing materials aimed at reducing violence
E-Advocate. (2011). Social media advocacy: Five influential steps.
against women on campus. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26,
Retrieved from http://eadvocate.wordpress.com/social-media-
971-990. doi:10.1177/0886260510365870
advocacy-six-influential-steps/
World Health Organization. (2009). Changing cultural and social norms
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), & Movement
that support violence. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/violence_
Advancement Project (MAP). (2008). The art and science of framing
injury_prevention/violence/norms.pdf
an issue. Retrieved from http://www.lgbtmap.org/file/art-and-science-
of-framing-an-issue.pdf

National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2011). Public Service

Announcement Campaign. Retrieved from http://www.nsvrc.org/
rural-psa

© National Sexual Violence Resource Center 2015. All rights reserved.

This document was supported by Cooperative Agreement #5UF2CE002359-02 from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily
represent the official views of the CDC.